


Fucking tough guy, huh?

by MiriamMT



Series: Gallavich OneShots (no smut) [3]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: AU, Adorable, Cute, Fluff, M/M, Pure, Tattoo, big brother Mickey, flowershop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 23:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiriamMT/pseuds/MiriamMT
Summary: Ian owns a small flower shop in the south side that also works as a front for his brothers drug business.One day Mickey comes in, wanting to buy flowers for his sister.





	Fucking tough guy, huh?

**Author's Note:**

> Florist/Tattoo Artist AU from tumblr

In the South Side Flower shops only seem to exist to hide drug rings.  
People that actually purchase flowers, mostly do it for funerals, what is slightly concerning.  
However, Ian Gallagher owns his own little flower shop in the South Side, between dark houses and dirty people. And yes, his brothers are using it for some secret drug business.  
Having illegal backroom businesses is just a normal thing in the southside - the local bar has a Rub'n'Tug in the room upstairs, god knows what's going on in the tattoo shop next door.

Ian, however, has a respectable business, which means, he acts like he doesn't know about the illegal activities that are happening.  
It's a cold day in Chicago, but the shop is nice and cosy. Ian arranges some roses when the little bell above the door signals a costumer.

"Hey, yo", he hears a voice calling him, Ian lets the roses alone and walks over to the guy.  
"Hey, can I help you?", he looks him up and down, he is rather short, black hair slicked back, piercing blue eyes, at least four different jackets and "Fuck u-up" tattoos on his knuckles. Not exactly someone who would buy flowers, "You want to see my brothers?"  
The guy gives him a slightly confused look.  
"I'm here to buy flowers, that's a fucking flower shop after all, is it?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. So, what kind of flowers?"  
"Do I look like I know anything about that shit?", the guy askes, "My sister's coming home from the hospital, my brother told me to bring flowers to welcome her. You've got anything for that?"

Ian raises an eyebrow and lets out a deep breath.  
"I'm not sure", he tries to think of something that would somehow satisfy the guy.  
"Okay, fuck it, think she doesn't even like flowers anyway. Just a way to distract her. Stupid fucking Iggy's idea."  
"How about", Ian interrupts him, "Chrysanthemums. They're often used as an expression of support or an encouragement to get well soon. And they're pretty."  
Mickey raises his eyebrows and chuckles.  
"Let me guess, you of course know all the meanings of your flowers by heart."  
Ian smiles, "One in this family has to work a legal job, right? So, you wanna see the flowers?"  
Mickey nods.

Mickey goes home with a bunch of flowers whose name he can't exactly pronounce.  
He's the first one in the dark, worn out house. Not long after that, Colin comes in with the food.  
"What are we having?", Mickey asks, sipping on a beer.  
"Pizza, Chinese, Burgers, one for every continent."  
"Every continent? Three?", Mickey asks. Colin nods, he only shakes his head in disbelief.  
"That the flowers you got?", Colin asks, "Good, Mandy will love them."

Another few minutes later Iggy and Joey burst loudly through the door, holding it open for Mandy, coming inside on crutches.  
"Look who's back!", Iggy shouts.  
"The queen is home!", Joey roars.  
Mandy smiles and sits down on the couch, where she receives hugs from Colin and Mickey.  
"I got food and Mickey brought you flowers from that guy next to his place.", Colin says, "You want a beer?"  
"No alcohol on pain killers", Mickey reminds his older brother.  
"Since when?", Iggy asks, "you sometimes have pain killers and beer for breakfast Mick"  
"It's not good for her.", Mickey says sternly, and with that the siblings know, that he won't have any further argument about that. He may be the youngest brother, but when it comes to Mandy, it's always him, who cares the most, who takes care of her the most, who is ready to stand up for her before the others would, so they also listen to him.

Mickey sits down next to his sister.  
"Thanks for the flowers, Mick", she smiles, "What kind are those?"  
"Uh, Crysu...m...Crysumthe-something, I don't know. The guy said, they symbolise recovery, support and all that bulshit."  
"I love them", she whispers and leans on her brother's shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ian walks the streets from the L to his little shop.  
When he turns into the street his store was in, he passes the tattoo shop next to it. It's a little shop painted completely black, you can only see inside through the rather small window in the door. The other two windows in the wall are scattered with pictures and sketches.  
A guy stands outside of the shop, smoking.  
Ian notices, that it's the guy from a few days before, the one with the pretty face and the- how he noticed when the guy left the shop the other day - amazing ass.

"Hey", Ian greets him, "Your sister liked the flowers?"  
Mickey blows out some smoke and looks at Ian, recognising him immediately - how could he not with that red hair?  
"Yeah, yeah she loved them.", he gives him a half smile.  
"You run the shop?", he asks, "We've been neighbours for two years and I never saw you around, how come?"  
"M not exactly a person who walks around having small talks with people."  
Ian nods and smiles, he gets the social cue, surprised the tough thug doesn't just tell him to fuck off.

"Well, have a nice day then. Need to arrange some stuff before opening up", he grins and walks off.  
Mickey looks after him. Fucking weird guy, how is someone so damn cheery in the morning?  
But that smile looks really fucking good on the redhead.  
He grins at the boy's happy mood and walks inside his tattoo shop.

Mickey takes his three jackets off and sits behind the counter, looking through his appointments for the day.  
He isn't able to shake the thought of the smiling ginger for the rest of the day.  
He finishes up the tattoo of a lion on a guy's shoulder, the red and orange shades that he uses, remind him on the flower guys hair.  
A girl, chewing gum in an unnecessarily obscene way, hair in her face, Mickey kind of hopes, that her hair gets stuck in the gum, wants a tattoo of the Cheshire cat.  
In Mickeys opinion, the gingers grin looks exactly like the Cheshire cat. New name incoming.

When Mickey closes the shop, he notices light in the flower shop. The other day he closed up way before his usual time because Mandy came home, the flower shop being open after Mickey closed is odd.  
Mickey bites his bottom lip, seeing that smile again doesn't seem to be a bad thing, so he walks over.

He enters the flower shop and hears that obnoxious bell above him telling everyone he is there.  
There are voices and some shuffling in the back. Suddenly the ginger's hair appears in the little way through to the backroom.  
"Hey", he grins.  
"Hey, you've got some more of those crysm-things?"  
"Chrysanthemums.", he chuckles, "Course."

Behind him another guy shows up, big, black guy, in the back room, with ginger.  
Mickey furrowes his brows and looks from ginger to black guy and purses his lips.  
Flower guy motions him to get outside, "See ya Caleb"  
Black guy nods and leaves.  
"So, Chrysanthemums.", he smiles and walks through the shop, Mickey follows.

"Why you're still open? Never saw you around this late."  
"You were watching me, huh?", Ian grins.  
"Didn't", Mickey mumbles, "Just give me the damn flowers, Cheshire Cat."  
He chuckles and picks the flowers for Mickeys sister.  
"Name's Ian, by the way, but I accept Cheshire Cat", he grins.  
"Mickey", he replies.

Ian finishes up the flowers for the man and rings him up.  
"See you around, Mickey", Ian smiles when Mickey leaves the shop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mandy loves the new flowers. Her wounds heal slowly, but the fact that her thug brother brings her flowers once a week makes her smile.  
By now it became a ritual for Mickey to go to the flower shop once a week to pick up flowers for his sister. Not only to see the smile on her face, but also to see the redhead again.

"Hey, I was just wondering", Ian says the other day, "You come here every week, time I make a visit to your shop, isn't it?"  
"You want a tattoo?", Mickey asks, "Don't really look like it, Chuckles."  
"I saw some of those white, blonde girls run into your shop, wanting tramp stamps and butterflies. You're judging me?"  
Mickey chuckles, "You want a butterfly as well? Or let me guess, a flower, tattooed advertisement."  
Ian grins at him, "A gun, an eagle holding a gun."  
Mickey raises his eyebrows, "Patriotic."  
"Wanted to join the army for most of my life."  
"Army? And you ended up in a flower shop instead? What happened there?"  
"You make me that tattoo, I'll tell you.", he hands Mickey the flowers, "Say hi to your sister from me."

A week later Mickey comes into the shop.  
"Mandy wants something different today", Mickey tells Ian, "She got a new dress, now wants some red flowers to that. Don't ask me, man, girls are weird."  
Ian chuckles, "Red flowers usually symbolize real love and that stuff. Weird to give to your sister. Except... red dahlias.", Ian nods, "Yeah, that'll do, it pretty much says, that you want to give her strength."  
Mickey secretly admires Ian's ability to remember all those random things about flowers, even though he himself isn't very interested in them.  
When Ian hands him the flowers, Mickey pushes a folded sheet of paper over the counter.

Ian picks it up with a confused look on his face, he unfolds it and sees that it's a sketch of a flying eagle holding a military gun.  
"You like it?", Mickey asks hopeful.  
"Fucking love it", Ian beams at him.  
"You come over tomorrow, around five?"  
Ian nods and a grin takes over his whole face, Mickey can't help than to smile at the sight of his grin.  
"See ya tomorrow, fucking Cheshire Cat"

Mandy is in love with the new flowers.  
"Fuck, that flower guy really knows his game, huh?", she smiles, "You asked him out yet?"  
Mickey stares at her confused, "What? No, why would I?"  
"Because you have a crush on him for months now?", Mandy suggests.  
"No, I fucking don't have a fucking crush on anybody!", he growled.  
"You do", Mandy laughs, "A fucking huge crush. You were up all night drawing one tattoo."  
"I'm always up late at night sketching, Mands."  
"Not the same thing a hundred times, all of them were good enough or too good for your average costumer, but you kept going though, because you wanted it to be perfect. I only saw you freaking out over a tattoo like that a few times, like with mine.", she grins.  
Mickey can't argue with that, Mandy probably found all the scrambled-up papers in his room.  
He likes Ian, he is nice, always lets him bum a smoke, and he's very attractive.  
But even if Mickey would ask Ian out... he can't stop thinking about that other, tall, toned, hot, black guy. It had been obvious, that something was going on between him and Ian, so at least Mickey knows, that Ian's gay, but that guy is probably his boyfriend.  
"Ask him out.", Mandy says, "Or I'll go up there and talk to him myself."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Ian closes his store early and walks over into the tattoo shop.  
Mickey looks up.  
"Coming right on time. Good."  
Ian smiles and looks around. It's a nice, dark room, a small sitting area, the tattoo chair thing and lots of sketches and pictures are taped on the walls, rock music is playing in the background.  
Mickey walks around the counter and motions Ian to the chair.

"Haven't told me, where you want it yet", Mickey says as Ian handed him the sketch back.  
"On my ribs, on the side", the redhead answers and points out the area on his body.  
"Really?", Mickey is sceptical, "You do know that's one of the areas a tattoo hurts the most, yeah?"  
"What? You don't think I could take it?"  
"Fucking though guy, huh? Just don't start crying, fire crotch.", Mickey jokes, "What are you waiting for, take off your shirt"  
"For how long were you waiting to tell me that, huh?", Ian grins.

Mickey bits his lip and turnes his face away from Ian, setting up his tools.  
"I'm one moment away from putting a needle under your skin, you really wanna go there?"  
Ian chuckles and slowly, almost seductively, takes off his shirt.  
Mickey tries his hardest, not to stare.

"It's okay, you can look.", Ian smiles, "You should if you plan on putting this masterpiece on my skin."  
"You know, there are certain people you shouldn't piss off, like dentists, doctors, nurses, drug dealers, piercers and tattoo artists."  
Ian laughs at the list.  
"Stop laughing, now, as much as I like it, it's not helpful for my work."  
He copies the sketch on Ian's ribs and within moments starts outlining it.

"You wanted to tell me about, why you aren't in the Army after all", Mickey reminds him.  
Ian sighs, he isn't sure whether he should actually tell Mickey. He likes Mickey, he isn't sure if he stops seeing him, when he tells him about it.  
"Yeah, well, I've always wanted to join the Army. We're both from the south side, so I guess, I don't have to explain the concept of a chaotic family to you", Ian rolls his eyes, "Army isn't chaotic. It has rules and orders, liked that, structure. My mom is bipolar, not structured, unpredictable."  
"Bi-what?"  
"It's like... extreme mood swings, like high highs followed by low lows all over again. Like one minute you're running around taking pictures of the goddamn sunrise, making pancakes at five am. And then you lie in bed depressed for days, not able to move.", Ian bits his bottom lip, "However, my mom is a nutjob, my dad is a fuck-up, usual southside bulshit. I was in ROTC for years, wanting to make something out of myself. Serving the country, all that shit. But then... I have five siblings and it turns out I've got the bipolar gene from Monica." 

Mickey hears the sadness coming through in Ian's voice.  
"You're bipolar as well?", that is unexpected, he can't think of always-annoyingly happy Cheshire Cat as depressed lump in his bed.  
"Yeah. With that, Army was from the table. Can you imagine that? A person, off their meds, fucking manic with guns in a warzone?"  
"So, a tattoo of it instead."  
"Yeah, but I'm happy with the flowers now", Ian smiles, "I'll just be in trouble when the cops get, that my brothers are using it for their drug business. "

Mickey raises his eyebrows, "Drug business, hm? Their stuff any good?"  
"Yeah, but they ain't doing any hard stuff. Mostly just weed and alcohol for underaged kids. But really fucking good weed. Our neighbour accidently grew too many plants one summer, but the stuff was so good, they just randomly decided to go into full business with it.  
Mickey chuckles at the story.

A few hours later - Mickey actually wanted to do the tattoo in multiple sessions like he usually does, so Ian wouldn't have to lie on his side for hours and hours without a break, but Ian insisted on finishing it today - Ian finally asks, what he wanted to ask since they met.

"Why was your sister in a hospital?"  
Mickey stops for a second, the tattoo needle resting just above Ian's skin, he coughs slightly.  
"She tripped", he lies and continues the art piece.  
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."  
"I don't goddamn have to do anything.", he scowls at him.  
"Sorry, shouldn't have asked such a personal question.", he apologises, "You seem to care a lot about her."  
"Of course, I care a lot about her, she's my little sister."

There is silence for a moment, Ian can only hear the noise of the tattoo needle.  
"She said, she tripped", Mickey says suddenly, "Her boyfriend beat her up again. As if we wouldn't know the difference between a landing punch and a trip down the stairs."  
"I'm sorry.", Ian says compassionately.  
"I'm not letting her go back to that guy. But it's just a question of time, he'll come back or she's gonna find another asshole, who will treat her just the same."  
"I hope he dies in a ditch. You don't beat women, ever. Especially not your partner."  
"Right?", Mickey agrees, "Most men I meet, at the Alibi or stuff, say it's okay, if she doesn't... fucking listen for the third time or so. Fucking morons."

Ian looks at Mickey being bend over his body, putting ink under his skin, face highly concentrated.  
"Straight people", Ian mocks.  
Mickey looks at him and chuckled, "Yeah, man, fucking weird", both laugh at that comment.

"How did you know, I'm not straight?", Mickey asks a while later, a little insecure, "Could've messed up the tattoo for that comment on straights."  
"Not many straight guys would've stayed calm if I asked them, how long they were already waiting to tell me to take my shirt off, or if I told them, that's okay to look at me.", Ian smiles, Mickey concentrates on the tattoo, avoiding Ian's gaze, "And that one day you came to the shop and saw Caleb leaving, you knew what was going on and you didn't' t call me a faggot and beat me up. So, either you're a good ally, or you're gay."

"Caleb, you mean big, black guy?"  
"Yep."  
"He your boyfriend?", Mickey asks, Mickey kind of hopes, that the answer is yes, because then he has a valid reason to not ask him out or some shit. But on the other hand, knowing that he wouldn't have a chance with the redhead, makes him sad.  
"No, we hook up from time to time, but that's it. Tried this relationship - dating thing with him, but he isn't exactly on the faithful side."  
"He fucked another guy?"  
"A few."  
"And you still fuck him though?"  
Ian does what comes closest to a shrug in his awkward position.  
"You know how it is, hitting it off with the ex once in a while, is easier than going out too look for one-night stands. And definitely easier than to find another boyfriend."

Mickey looks him up and down and frowns.  
"Finding a guy to fuck is complicated for you?", he asks unconvinced.  
"No", Ian grins, "Finding a guy who stays with me during depression and mania and doesn't fuck others is complicated to find. Finding all three traits in one guy? Impossible. And even if, then they, you know, would also have to be nice and stuff"  
"I don't get how anyone could cheat on you", Mickey mumbles not really thinking about his words, too concentrated on a few details. But Ian hears it loud and clear and smiles at the man.

When Mickey finishes the tattoo it's already really late.  
"So, finished", Mickey smiles.  
"Oh god", Ian groaned and moved his body for the first time what felt like days, "I feel like my whole body is numb and dead."  
"I told you, we should do that in sessions. And do more breaks. You felt like acting all tough."  
"Yeah, I'm an idiot.", Ian grins.  
Mickey puts some plastic foil thing on the tattoo and Ian, to Mickeys slight disappointment, puts his shirt back on.

"Did you ever cheat on a boyfriend?", Ian asks curiously, Mickey looks up at him.  
"I never had a real boyfriend to begin with. But I would never cheat on anyone.", he says sincerely.  
"Is that so?", Ian rests his chin in his hand, leaning over the counter that Mickey sits behind, "How come you never had a boyfriend?"  
Mickey wonders, why the ginger cares all of a sudden.  
"Being gay in the southside isn't a good idea. You should know that. No one in my family even knows about it except my sister. When I was in Highschool I hooked up with some guys in secret but I stopped with that so my brothers and dad wouldn't find out. Did a lot of fucking in juvie, but that was just bad, because I couldn't bottom - otherwise I'd end up being somebody's bitch you know?"  
Ian now rests his head in both his palms and looks more like the Cheshire cat than ever.  
"You're not a fan of topping, huh?"  
Mickey shakes his head.  
"We should go out", Ian blurts out suddenly.  
Mickeys head snaps up.  
"As soon as I can feel my body again, we can go grab a drink and talk or some shit."  
Mickey chuckles, "Flirt with me all you want, firecrotch, you gotta pay for the tattoo though. This ain't charity."

Ian smiles and puts the money on the counter, "I want to go out with you though."  
Mickey took a deep breath, "I... I don't do dates usually."  
"We don't have to call it a date. Just two attractive people meeting up for drinks, talks and...", he grins at him, "Other stuff."  
Mickey smiles and looks away almost shyly.  
"I would like that, but... listen, if you want me to suck you off right here and now, I'd do that immediately"  
"Really?", Ian asks excited.  
"But", Mickey continues, "I've never been out with a guy in public before."  
Ian understands, being out in the southside really isn't easy. Until now Mickey seemed to be open about his sexuality, but the mention of the outside world, other people with opinions seem to scare him.  
"I get it", he says, but he really wants to get to know this guy better, "We can meet up in the back of my shop. Have some beer and the good weed?"  
Mickey looks up at him again, "Yeah, yeah that sounds good.", he smiles.  
"Great, now to come back to your offer on blowjobs..."  
"Oh fuck off", Mickey chuckles, "We'll see about that, after you showed me that good-ass weed."  
Ian leaves the shop with a big grin on his face.  
He got a date with Mickey.


End file.
